Editor,

Even people who are against Propositions 10 & 11 agree that Ridgefield schools are overcrowded and need repair. What does that mean for the students? At the elementary school, Union Ridge students have leaking roofs and a long walk from portables to the buildings where they have lunch, library, PE, art and music classes. At the middle/intermediate school, students walk about one-fourth of a mile to a conference room at a nearby athletic field for health class, no matter the weather. Our sports teams practice and hold games in other school district’s facilities because they have no space. At the high school, the halls are overcrowded, and students report a poor sense of belonging in annual surveys. On any given day in Ridgefield, over one-third of all students are educated in a portable classroom. The portables are too cold in the winter and too hot in the summer.

People reason that we should only build more schools once test scores improve, but studies consistently show that students perform better when they have adequate space. Conversely, rates of bullying, student engagement and test scores worsen in crowded school conditions.

I wish there were different w ays to fund the building of schools. I understand that increasing taxes is a burden for many people who are already struggling, but we are already five bonds past due for these buildings with no change in how schools are funded in sight. Voting yes on Propositions 10 and 11 is an investment in our students and Ridgefield’s future.

Our students deserve the best chance at success that we can give them.